World's first approved remote ATC contingency facility unveiled

[ex-EGLL]

A little late on this as it was a news release back in August:


World's first approved remote ATC contingency facility unveiled - NATS (http://www.nats.co.uk/article/253/282/worlds_first_approved_remote_atc_contingency_facility_unveil ed.html)

Having worked in this area (and at Heathrow many moons ago) for a few years, I am amazed that they claim 70% traffic rate is achievable. Assuming the tower goes up in smoke at some time, won't fire / smoke / water damage render the comms, ground radar, lighting control etc etc u/s?

ex-egll

[Dizzee Rascal]

There were some photos of the VCF knocking about on the internet somewhere a while ago.

[Gonzo]

ex_EGLL, without wishing to go into too much detail, there is a measure of redundancy built into those systems, so even if the tower goes into what we call 'rubble mode', the contingency will be able to function.

From a procedural point of view, 70% is what we do now if we can't see the aircraft from the tower. ICAO visibility condition 2.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

I can't see the picture in the above link but a piccy was published in a recent GATCO magazine. It showed what appeared to be several tables with PC-type work stations and claimed to be an exact replica of Heathrow Tower. Is that what it's really like?? What happened to the work consoles with the equipment built-in?

[40years]

FWIW, and I know it's slightly different, in anticipation of the 2000 Olympic games, the Sydney TCU was set up and test run in the Melbourne simulator. The intention was that, if Sydney TCU was blown up, then the operations could continue in Melbourne, 1000 km away. Thankfully it wasn't required.

[Gonzo]

HD, yes, that's what the current VCR looks like, just all LCD flat screens all over the place....there is no hardware built in to the desks at all now....well, the headset sockets are screwed underneath the top of the desk, but that's all. The electronic strip screens and phone/radio screen rest on the top in pods, and the other screens are fixed to a rail that runs behind each desk.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

OK Gonzo... not sure I'd like working there.. it just doesn't sound right but guess it's OK once you get used to it.

Regards to all up there in the clouds!

Bren

[2 sheds]

And why was the obvious contingency of the old control tower not utilised for this function?

[Gonzo]

2 Sheds, NATS do not own the old tower now, BAA do...If BAA wanted to keep the old tower available as a contingency facility I'm sure that would have happened.

[2 sheds]

Gonzo

Quite so, but presumably they do talk to each other? So does it appear that commercial considerations (i.e. flogging off the old tower for a pile of cash) rank above the obvious safety (and expedition) advantages of still being able to see what you are doing in such a situation? The comparison with LVP operations is a red herring - in LVP conditions, there is little choice. And how long does it take to decamp to the other place and pick up the pieces?

2 s

[Gonzo]

I'm not totally aware of all the ins and outs of the tower sale, but it's going to be replaced by the new Heathrow East terminal, so it had to go regardless of ownership.

Our previous contingency (before we moved to the new tower) only had a view of 1/3 of the airport then (pre-T5), and movements rates would be about 10% of normal ops.

Again, I'm not a businessman, but I would imagine the level of contingency provided by NATS is exactly the level of contingency required and paid for by BAA. I'm sure if BAA were happy to pay NSL for a fully equipped second tower, with another 60 ATCOs, NSL would be happy to provide it. Contingency is a commercial issue, not a safety issue.

[BigDaddyBoxMeal]

I'm not totally aware of all the ins and outs of the tower sale

A £45million dividend to the shareholders if I recall?!

Serious question... if this can handle 70% of Heathrow's movements completely remotely, does this mean that the ATC could be done remotely for smaller airports. NATS regional airfields controlled from Swanwick/CTC within 10 years anyone?

[Gonzo]

BDBM,

That's precisely what the Scandinavians are examining for the myriad small airports in remote locations with occasional passenger aircraft movements.

Do a search for "Advanced Remote Tower"

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

World's away from the original EVCR, which was a Runway Control Caravan parked in the triangle south of 27L and west of 05.

I was in the first emergency team and when we got to the "EVCR", some pilots had got so fed up with waiting that they just took off and called London Radar as they got airborne! The noise in the truck was so great that we couldn't hear the R/T. What fun...